About Partners

Mission

The Partners in Education Foundation for the Santa Fe Public Schools is an independent non-profit organization founded on the conviction that the entire community shares responsibility for the quality of public education.  Our mission is to marshal resources and create alliances to foster excellence in Santa Fe’s public schools.

History

The Santa Fe Community Foundation created Partners in Education in 1988 to link the community (citizens, businesses, nonprofits and government agencies) with its public schools in productive partnerships.  Partners in Education became an independent 501(c)(3) organization in 1991.  In 2007, Partners became a foundation and continues to serve Santa Fe’s publicly funded primary and secondary schools. The original vision for Partners called for it to effect positive change in the schools from the bottom up. This vision is still valid.  Partners in Education seeks to continuously improve education in Santa Fe by providing ways to achieve creative, cost-effective and innovative solutions to educational problems. The growth of Partners in Education has been phenomenal as the organization evolves constantly to meet teachers’ needs.  During its first year of the teacher grants program, for example, Partners awarded a total of $2,000 to nine teachers for their projects.  In 2021-22, 38 teachers at 15 schools received a total of $37,000 in grants.

Staff

Sarah Amador-Guzman, MSPPM
Executive Director

Maria D. Griego, MBA
ArtWorks Programs Director

Znona “Noni” Fern
Finance & Operations Manager

Board of Directors

Keith Burks, Chair
Keith Burks Property Management

Ron VanAmberg, Vice Chair
VanAmberg Rogers Law Offices

Craig Blessing, Treasurer
Finance Professional

Rosario Torres, LMSW, Secretary
Retired Social Worker

Kathryn Lau Odell, Member
Small Business Owner

Senator Linda M. Trujillo, Member
Attorney

Dr. LaNysha T. Adams, Member
Santa Fe Community College

Daniel Maki, Member
Maki Campaign Solutions

Dr. Christine E. Griffin
Superintendent, Santa Fe Public Schools

Dr. Carmen Gonzales
Board Member, Santa Fe Public Schools Board of Education

Roman “Tiger” Abeyta
Board Member, Santa Fe Public Schools Board of Education